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January 17th, 2012

Official government response statement on the European Commission infringement procedures

Excerpt Via kormany.hu 

The Hungarian government considers the independence of the Central Bank, the Judiciary and the Data Protection Authority as important as does the European Commission. Therefore there is no disagreement with the institutions of the European Union on the importance of basic principles, common European values and achievements. A thorough analysis of the Commission’s arguments will be started. Our aim is to give satisfactory and comprehensive answers to the questions raised, and to find a solution for the problematic issues as soon as possible, preferably without going through the full infringement procedure.

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  • Hrvat Tito

    “The Hungarian government considers the independence of the Central Bank…as important as does the European Commission.”

    What ? “Therefore there is no disagreement with the institutions of the European Union ..”

    In 2 january here at politics.hu there was an article with the title :

    January 2nd, 2012
    Orbán rejects outside interference in Hungary, brushes off central bank independence as “European fashion”

    BY HUNGARY AROUND THE CLOCK
    There is nobody in the world who has the right to tell the elected representatives of the Hungarian people which laws they can pass and which they can not,” Prime Minister Viktor Orbán declared Friday morning in his weekly Kossuth Rádió ..Insistence on central bank independence is “a European fashion,” he told his audience…

    I guess Orban has lost it.
    Hungary needs now a new Serb like Petoffi (n.Petrovics) or a Slovak as Kossuth if she is to rise and stand Brussels dictates.

  • justasking

    I’m going to post a ‘post’ I read the other day…tell me what you all think:

    “Whatever else is going on, I can see a good deal of brinkmanship coming from the Hungarian side. In fact,Orbán himself is almost a personification of brinkmanship…and whether you like him or not, his solid stance gives great confidence to those who are implementing his policies.If the Hungarian government is getting nervous, they are making a damn good job of hiding it it.

    From what is written in the article, Christine Lagarde has indicated that the IMF will not budge from its position: “You want some dosh? Let’s see the changes…real changes”.
    Yet, as far as can be read, seen or heard, there is no sign of significant change on the Hungarian side either. Official facts and figures emanating from the alchemists of the dismal science on the Hungarian side suggest Hungary is not the “basket case” it is assumed to be. But what can be seen up front is not the same as the eddying currents swirling worryingly below.

    Most foreign observers spend their time in Budapest; go to the suburbs of Budapest; visit the dormitory towns 30-40 kms. from Budapest. On the face of it, things don’t look too bad. But go out to the countryside, especially to the east, and the images in some parts become Third Worldishly bleak…How well is this recorded? I cannot say- I don’t know. (As an aside: I will never understand why the protagonists of the system change in Hungary seemingly allowed the agriculture — up to EU standards before the accession — to go from flourishing to fallow. THEN we needed an Orbán to tell the EU what to do with the CAP. Furthermore, did anybody really imagine there might be a Silicon-Sajó valley from Kazincbarcika to Edelény?).

    There is no partisan politics here in saying: Hungary needs help. But the present government wants help without conditions.

    So, where’s the brinkmanship? Readers will remember that just after the introduction of the new constitution the Hungarian foreign plummeted in frightening fashion. Also, there were disappointing results with bond auctions.

    Yet what was not emphasized too loudly was that the ripples were felt in Prague and Warsaw on their own bond markets. No capsizing…but the boat rocked. This gave a warning that an unstable Hungary could be the preliminary for an unstable region. Washington and the EU needs that like a hole in the head.

    Look around at things in the vicinity: Hungary and Slovakia? Not much kissing there…Ukraine? Lock up your daughters. Belarus? I’m not commenting publicy. Russia? Whose in charge? (Hey! By the way, with all this Hungo-bashing….what’s going on in Romania and Bulgaria? Everything hunky-dory?)

    It’s easy to keep saying that Hungary is a small country of 10+ million people but the consequences of its collapse could be far more dangerous. And the big boys who fancy themselves as global policemen have plenty of other headaches: Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan…..Oh! No…now Nigeria’s looking wobbly….and so on.

    I have no evidence that there is an international relations Svengali advising the Hungarian government but amongst the dross there are some sharp minds at work. If they have the stomach for a siege — I don’t like Orbán but I admire his resilience — the Hungarian government might just get its way. But to do that..and herein lies the rub..it will have improve its powers of explanation vis á vis the Hungarian people. The Hungarian PM says: “We don’t need the money. We can stand on our own feet.” Viktor, Sir! After twenty or more years at the top, I’m sure you can.

    But if you go out to the Hungarian people, many of them have had difficulty crawling around on all-fours since the beginning of the transition.

  • MHL

    Hungary itself should not come in for a “bashing”. The people have their strengthe and weaknesses like everywhere else.
    I do not need long-winded views from afar because I live here and see what goes on everyday.
    The governments of MSZP and Fidesz under the leaderships of Gyurscany Ferenc and Orban Viktor have failed miserably. They have let the country and the people down very badly indeed.
    Russian roulette and/or brinkmanship is for gamblers and for the past 10 years, or so, Hungary has lost everything to the extent it now needs 25 billion euros to stay afloat. This is the reality!

  • Hrvat Tito

    Hungary needs a revolution. Jobbik should get in charge and restore the dignity of the country.

    The situation recalls the 1918-1919 period when Bela Kun got in power after the Miklos Karolyi Govt. collapsed when faced with the Allied demands to withdraw into the “Trianon” territories.

    Now it is high-time for Jobbik to make a bold move and make a bid for power (if Orban collapses that’s it).

    • Feher Gyorgy

      Orban will NEVER collapse. He is and will remain the Big Leader until the end of times. And we don’t need the EU or IMF money, Hungary will find it’s own way to finance our path to glory. Don’t believe me? Check out Fidesz.com and you’ll start to understand what I mean…
      Fidesz.com – Magyarország ist Geil!

      • Anonymous

        Yeah, nice neutral point of view. Koszi.

  • Curious George

    Yes, Hungary needs a revolution – a social revolution, to educate people so that they realize they are responsible for the decisions they & their leaders make.
    If Jobbik comes to power, it means that Orban has failed. After Jobbik comes to power, it would probably mean that Hungary is going to fail.

  • justasking

    “Hungary needs a revolution”

    Yeah, those usually don’t work too well for Hungarians…

  • Hrvat Tito

    ‘it would probably mean that Hungary is going to fail’

    “probably”, not certainly. That is : you need courage, that passion that whips the blood when great stakes can be gained by resolute and self-confident daring.
    Not sure that Vona is up to it but he would better be, no new Petofi or Kossuth on the horizon.

    • Curious George

      @Hrvat Tito You’re right – I should have clarified “probably 99%.” Courage? Daring? Whips the blood??? You don’t think intelligence is more important?

  • LOU

    HUNGARY and every other country need a revolutionary consciousness awakening. The people must foresake the mythology of leadership and govern themselves by referendum on everything. Otherwise history repeats itself. Not a pretty picture.

  • I love Hungary

    Just get President Schmitt to write a rebuttal.

    • Anonymous

      In that case, I wonder who’d write the rebuttal?

  • Feher Gyorgy

    President Schmitt will do so, and all other nations will have no other choice than to give our proud nation back our summa cum laude rating.

    Fidesz.com – The Future is Hard, The Leader Experienced

  • andy

    Nice posts. I see there is sabbat of all enemies of Great Hungary :) I am kidding. But we have to give Hungarians more time. They will find later, that mr. Orban doesn´t care about Trianon, or Great Hungary. What he care´s is momey and power and money. That´s it. But what happened in Hungary is just, let´s say, picture of all democrat´s regimes in post East European countires. Well, deep crisis in post communist countries. In Slovakia, huge scandal just running out. Slovak secret services (SIS) documents-interceptions of secret service – were pusblished on internet. It´s showed total corruption of political elite, and their subjection to rich oligarcha businessmans. Did democracy failed? Where we then should turn on? To stupid nationalist nazi system? Is Jobbik styl parties answer? No, there are another hungry animals looking for feed them self with money and power.. Who knows?

  • Eddy Pool

    Hungary can save itself from this situation only if it gets rid of Orban Viktor and his clones:
    Hedge fund holders 3 v EU/Eurozone/IMF/Greece 0

    Greece has to pay a whacking 125 billion euros within the next couple of weeks
    or default and the final nail in the coffin is hammered home as bankruptcy is declared.

    The situation is that hedge funds hold Greek bonds (bought on the cheap) and have CDS/Insurance against a default. A win-win situation and a lose-lose situation for the banks, the IMF & the European Union.
    Even if the money/loan is stoked up on this occasion it won’t solve the problem.
    It is a cyclical debt that, eventually, like the whirlpool will draw you to the bottom of the ocean.
    It is check mate, or fool’s mate, whichever you prefer!

  • Eddy Pool’s accountant

    Correction: Greece wants to borrow 125 billion euros and has to pay 15 billion back in a couple of weeks on previous debt.
    A write down/haircut has to be agreed and that will probably mean 20 cents per euro on its previous.
    I cannot for the life of me understand what the f-k is going down in this Greek tragedy but, I know this: it will be the end of europe, the euro, the european union and all who sail in her. God bless America, China, and Brazil. I’ve had enough cognac to warrant a bag load of typos….Hic, hic, very nice though!

  • DoubleH63

    @justasking

    “Yet what was not emphasized too loudly was that the ripples were felt in Prague and Warsaw on their own bond markets. No capsizing…but the boat rocked. This gave a warning that an unstable Hungary could be the preliminary for an unstable region. Washington and the EU needs that like a hole in the head.”

    “It’s easy to keep saying that Hungary is a small country of 10+ million people but the consequences of its collapse could be far more dangerous.”

    Interestingly, I also read an opinion – written by a Hungarian – that in reality the IMF needs Hungary more than Hungary needs the IMF, regarding the loan despite what Christine Lagarde says – for the above-mentioned reasons.
    Will the Hungarian government stand its ground in face of these demands of IMF and EC? In my opinion they will not. It can be seen from various government people’s commitment to negotiations about these outrages demands and OV’s unquestionable commitment to the EU [like I said before he is as much of a nationalist as the burnt EU flag]. Just like in his speech in the EU Parliament his trump card was that his government stopped the ‘paramilitary organizations’, so the national minorities including the Gypsies and J*ws can feel safe. [I did not know that the Magyar Gárda and the Szebb Jövőért Polgárőr Egyesület were chasing the J*ews around in the towns and villages of Hungary besides the ‘innocent integrationists’, until Michael J. Jordan (ForeignPolicy.com) enlightened me on another tread about it.]
    The only thing OV forgot to mention in his speech [again] to defend his government’s actions was the Hungarian people and their concern, which has nothing to do with bank independence, retired judge’s age or data protection.
    This whole circus can be summed up best by Szájer’s comment in the hours long argument in the EU Parliament:
    “Magyarország demokrácia, a zsidóknak nem kell félniük, a kormány betartja az unió szabályait”.

    • justasking

      @Double,

      ““Magyarország demokrácia….”

      Do they have defibrillator stations throughout the EU Parliament? That statement was a wee bit provocative don’t you think? :)
      ———

      It will be interesting watching, not only what will be unfolding between Hungary and the EU in the coming weeks; but, Italy as well. There seems to be an issue with the Mafia stealing billions of dollars of earmarked money from the countries coffers, possibly being the proverbial straw that breaks the camels back, sending both Italy and the EU into a tailspin.

      How ironic would that be? The greed of the Mafia bringing this all to a head and not the banks?

  • Viking

    justasking says:
    January 19, 2012 at 5:12 pm

    Mafia stealing billions of dollars of earmarked money from the countries coffers
    —

    How do you think Switzerland earn its money?
    The Swiss ‘democracy’ has always been built on tax-evasion and theft in other countries
    And that we see up to

  • justasking

    @Viking,

    “The Swiss ‘democracy’ has always been built on tax-evasion and theft in other countries”

    Yeah, but isn’t that changing? Aren’t the Swiss banks slowly being forced to cough up their customer names to various countries?

    • MagyarViking

      Swiss will live high on Russia and the other banana-countries who are not interested in asking

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